At one point during my meeting with Antony Worrall Thompson, his hands start to shake quite perceptibly, and his eyes, already a little red-rimmed, grow distinctly wet. "I'm so sorry," he says, coughing to cover the tremor in his voice. "I'm just very very angry. I'm shaking because I'm seething."

For the past three months, Tom Aikens has probably been the most despised chef in London. Ever since he went bust in October, leaving his 160 suppliers - mostly small family firms - almost £1 million out of pocket, they have been calling for his head, branding the Michelin-star restaurateur "despicable", "dishonourable" and "lacking in integrity".

All week, from last Monday onwards, the signs were up: 'Carters Steam Fair - here this weekend.' Archie, three, can't read but he spotted the carousels and the swing boats as soon as they started arriving on the playing fields at Barn Elms in Barnes.